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BUREAU OF MINES 
INFORMATION CIRCULAR/1989 

37/ 



The Talc Industry-An Overview 



By Robert L. Virta 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 



Mission: As the Nation's principal conservation 
agency, the Department of the Interior has respon- 
sibility for most of our nationally-owned public 
lands and natural and cultural resources. This 
includes fostering wise use of our land and water 
resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, pre- 
serving the environmental and cultural values of 
our national parks and historical places, and pro- 
viding for the enjoyment of life through outdoor 
recreation. The Department assesses our energy 
and mineral resources and works to assure that 
their development is in the best interests of all 
our people. The Department also promotes the 
goals of the Take Pride in America campaign by 
encouraging stewardship and citizen responsibil- 
ity for the public lands and promoting citizen par- 
ticipation in their care. The Department also has 
a major responsibility for American Indian reser- 
vation communities and for people who live in 
Island Territories under U.S. Administration. 



[(ALk4M&"L 



Information Circular 9220 




The Talc Industry-An Overview 



By Robert L. Virta 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
Manuel J. Lujan, Jr., Secretary 

BUREAU OF MINES 
T S Ary, Director 






^ 5 



Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data: 



Virta, Robert L. 

The talc industry-an overview/by Robert L. Virta. 


<** 
JON 






(Bureau of Mines information circular 


9220) • 


0* 


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Bibliography: p. 11 


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Supt. of Docs, no.: I 28.27:9220. 








1. Talc industry-United States. 2. Talc-United States. 
4. Talc. I. Title. II. Series: Information circular (United 
Mines); 9220. 


3. Talc industry. 
States. Bureau of 


TN295.U4 [HD9585.T33U62] 


622 s-dcl9 [338.27676'0973] 
89-600027 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Abstract 1 

Introduction 2 

Industry structure 2 

Production 2 

Processing 3 

Applications and specifications 3 

Prices 6 

Supply and demand 7 

Outlook 10 

References 11 

ILLUSTRATION 

1. Flowsheet for a talc flotation mill 4 



TABLES 

1. Mineral composition of talc deposits 5 

2. Selected properties of ceramic-grade talc 5 

3. Selected properties of cosmetic-grade talc 5 

4. Selected properties of paint-grade talc 6 

5. Salient talc statistics 7 

6. End uses for ground talc in the United States 8 

7. Talc and pyrophyllite: World production, by country 8 

8. Consumption of talc by end use 9 

9. Major talc-exporting countries 9 

10. Major talc-importing countries 10 



UNIT OF MEASURE ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT 


in inch 


st/yr short ton per year 


/zm micrometer 


yr year 


st short ton 





THE TALC INDUSTRY-AN OVERVIEW 

By Robert L. Virta 1 



ABSTRACT 

This U.S. Bureau of Mines paper discusses the structure of the talc industry, talc production, 
processing of talc ore, applications and demand for talc, and the outlook for the talc industry. 



'Physical scientist, Branch of Industrial Minerals, U.S. Bureau of Mines, Washington, DC. 



INTRODUCTION 



The mineral talc, a soft, hydrous magnesium silicate, 
MggSigO^OH)^ is formed through hydrothermal altera- 
tion of ultrabasic rocks and low-grade metamorphism of 
siliceous dolomites (I). 2 In addition to the mineral talc, 
talc deposits may also contain magnesite, quartz, chlorite, 
magnetite, serpentine, anthophyllite, tremolite, dolomite, 
and actinolite (2). The mineralogy of each deposit is 
determined by the metamorphic conditions under which it 
formed. 

A high-purity massive talcose rock is called steatite, 
while the impure massive variety is referred to as 



soapstone. Lava is used to designate block talc or finished 
products made from block talc. French talc is a soft, mas- 
sive variety of talc used for marking cloth (3). 

Talc has been used commercially for over 100 yr in the 
United States. It is most widely recognized for its use in 
talcum powders, although the major consumers of talc are 
the ceramics, paint, paper, and roofing industries. 

This paper reviews changes that have occurred in the 
talc industry in recent years and provides background 
information on the current talc industry. 



INDUSTRY STRUCTURE 



There were 19 talc mining companies operating in the 
United States in 1988. These companies generally were 
structured to cover all aspects of talc mining, from mining 
to processing (3). Only a few of them hired custom 
grinders to process the ore. Most companies conducted 
their own marketing programs, although sales were also 
made through mineral brokers. Most companies con- 
ducted in-house research to develop new end uses for their 
products and to test the performance of their talc in 
established product lines. The largest companies were 
Cyprus Industrial Minerals Co.; Dai-Briar Co. (Texas 
Talc); Gouverneur Talc Co., a subsidiary of R. T. Vander- 
bilt Co. Inc.; Pfizer Inc., Minerals, Pigments, and Metals 
Division; Vermont Talc Co.; and Windsor Minerals Inc. 
(4)? 

More than half of the domestic talc producers are 
either divisions or subsidiaries of larger, more diversified 
organizations. These subsidiaries can be affiliated with 
domestic or foreign companies. Examples include South- 
ern Clay Products Inc., a subsidiary of Eastern China Clay 
America Inc.; Southern Talc Co., a subsidiary of United 
Catalysts Inc.; Dai-Briar, a subsidiary of Dai-Tile Inc.; and 
Westex Minerals Co., a subsidiary of Milwhite Co. 

Approximately 120 companies operated between 150 
and 200 talc mines in 41 market economy countries (5). 
The largest market economy country companies were 



AS Norwegian Talc of Norway, Costalco Mineracao e 
Comercio Ltda. of Brazil, Finnminerals of Finland, the 
Golcha Group in India, Talcs de Luzenac of France, and 
Western Mining Corp. Ltd. of Australia. 

The increasing international nature of the minerals 
industry is influencing the industry structure. Many com- 
panies, in an effort to offer a wider range of talc grades, 
have made international marketing agreements. For 
example, in 1982, R. T. Vanderbilt began marketing 
certain grades of talc produced by Canada's Steetley Talc 
Ltd. to supplement its line of tremolitic talc products (<5). 
In 1986, Cyprus Industrial Minerals obtained exclusive 
rights to purchase cosmetic talc produced by Mount 
Seabrook Talc NL of Australia as a means of improving its 
market in Europe (7). 

Many companies, rather than enter into an international 
agreement, acquire full or partial ownership of foreign 
mining operations. Doing so permits companies to have 
access to major markets at lower transportation cost and 
permits the purchasing company and acquired company to 
jointly increase their capital investments for process 
upgrading (8). Several companies involved in international 
ownership are Cyprus Industrial Minerals Co., Eastern 
China Clay International pic, Talcs de Luzenac, and 
Steetley Industries Ltd. 



PRODUCTION 



In 1987, 34 of the 38 active talc mines in the United 
States were open pit operations. Open pit mines are 
generally safer than underground mines and have better 
production rates (9). In 1985, over 93% of the talc ore 
produced in the United States came from open pit opera- 
tions (10). 



Italic numbers in parentheses refer to items in the list of references 
at the end of this report. 

Vermont Talc and Windsor Minerals were purchsed by Cyprus 
Industrial Minerals in 1988 and early 1989, respectively. 



Open pit mining involves removing the overlying soil 
and rock to gain access to the talc ore, fragmenting the ore 
using explosives, and transporting the fragmented ore to a 
mill for processing. The cost of removing the overburden 
and waste rock is a major concern in such talc mining. 
The amount of waste removed is greatest during the initial 
stage of mine development and when the open pit is being 
expanded. The ratio of waste rock to talc ore removed 
from open pit mining operations was 6.8 to 1 in 1985; i.e., 
for every ton of talc ore recovered from the deposit, 6.8 
tons of waste material was removed (10). Waste rock to 



ore ratios up to 10 to 1 are not uncommon in talc mining 
operations. 

Drilling and blasting are carefully planned to minimize 
costs and to achieve good fracturing of the ore. Massive 
talc ores require more blasting than fractured ores (11). 
Blasting is kept to a minimum and is carefully planned to 
produce blocks of adequate size when steatite-type talc is 
mined for sculpturing (3). In poorly indurated deposits, 
backhoes may be adequate to rip the material loose. 

When the waste rock to ore ratio becomes too large, 
open pit mining becomes uneconomical and underground 
mining is used. Room-and-pillar and shrinkage stoping 
methods are used to mine talc underground (11). Room- 
and-pillar mining is used on flat or gently dipping ores. As 
the ore body is mined, pillars of ore are left in a regular 
pattern to support the roof of the mine (12). Shrinkage 
stoping is used on steeply dipping ore bodies. For the 
shrinkage stoping method, tunnels are driven into the base 
of the ore. Drilling and blasting proceed upward into the 
ore body. Following each blast, approximately one-third 



of the broken ore is removed for processing. The remain- 
der supports the side walls of the stope and serves as a 
working platform for the miners as drilling proceeds up- 
ward into the ore body. When the stope is completed, all 
of the broken ore is removed and the walls of the stope 
are allowed to collapse. Typically, production is only a few 
tons per hour by either method (11). 

A minimal amount of waste material is removed during 
underground mining because the mine is located essentially 
within the ore body. In 1985, the ratio of waste rock to 
talc ore was approximately 1 to 10.5 in underground 
mining (10). 

In talc mining operations, the slipperiness of the talc 
ore can pose some unusual problems. Slip-reducing tires 
or chains may be used on mechanized loaders and haulers, 
and haulage slopes generally have gentle gradients. When 
mining underground, extensive cribbing and timbering may 
be required to support the rock and are placed carefully to 
minimize lateral forces acting on these support members 
(3). 



PROCESSING 



In many instances, the processing of the talc ore begins 
at the mine site. Selective mining and/or hand sorting are 
used to produce a high-grade feed for the mill. Optical 
sorters are used at a few operations to automate the 
sorting process. Sometimes the talc ore is washed to 
remove fine dust and impurities (9, 13). 

At the mill, a variety of grinding and beneficiation 
strategies are used to produce the final ground product. 
Hammer mills and jaw crushers are used to reduce the 
size of the largest ore received (9). Roller mills commonly 
are used to produce the final product. When used in 
conjunction with air classifiers, roller mills can be used to 
grind talc to an approximate mean particle size of 5 to 10 
fim or 0.00004 in. Where color is a critical factor, a 
ceramic-based grinding apparatus, such as a ceramic 
pebble mill, can be used. Talc is very soft, and reasonable 
grinding rates can be achieved by using ceramic grinding 
media (11). The grinding mills are sometimes equipped 
with oil or gas combustion chambers to permit simulta- 
neous grinding and drying of the ore and are frequently 
used in closed circuit with air separators (3). 

More sophisticated grinding techniques must be em- 
ployed when particle sizes of approximately 3 /xm or less 
are required. Fluid-energy mills or pulverizing mills are 
usually used for ultrafine grinding of the talc ore (3, 9, 11). 
Air pressure, moisture content, and temperature are 
carefully controlled for ultrafine grinding to optimize the 
process (9). 



Flotation processes are used when the desired product 
purity cannot be obtained using conventional processing. 
Ore that has passed through a grinding circuit is used as 
the feed material for the flotation circuit. The ground 
material is chemically treated to prepare the ore for the 
flotation process. The treated ore is passed through 
rougher and cleaner cells, often making multiple passes, 
before being dewatered and thickened. The filter cake is 
dried in a flash dryer and ground in a pulverizer (fig. 1) (3, 
11). Ore composition, reagent type, pulp density, pH of 
the flotation system, and residence time in the flotation 
circuits affect flotation efficiency. Sodium silicate is a 
common modifier used in flotation processes, and methyl 
isobutyl carbinol is a common flotation reagent. Details 
on the conditioning process and reagents generally are not 
released by the companies. 

For some filler applications, additional processing of the 
talc products is desirable or required. For instance, most 
of the talc mined in Texas is dark green to black in color. 
The talc must be calcined to increase its whiteness before 
it can be used in many applications. Calcined talc that is 
used in plastics must be low in calcium, acid solubles, and 
impurities. Sometimes talc is surface-treated with an 
organic compound to enhance its performance in the man- 
ufactured product (9). The additional processing benefits 
the talc producer because it increases the value of the talc. 



APPLICATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS 



Properties such as softness (1 on the Mohs scale), pur- 
ity, fragrance retention, whiteness, luster, moisture content, 
oil and grease adsorption, chemical inertness, low electrical 



conductivity, high dielectric strength, and high thermal 
conductivity are important for commercial applications (3). 
These properties are not universal to all talcose materials 









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Figure 1. -Flowsheet for a talc flotation mill. 



because of differences in the mineralogical compositions 
and particle shape (table 1). Mineral content is extremely 
important because it usually dictates the end use. 

Table 1 .-Mineral composition of talc deposits, percent 

Mineral California Montana New North Vermont 

York Carolina 

Talc 85-90 90-95 35-60 80-92 80-92 

Tremolite 0-12 30-55 

Anthophyllite .0 3-10 0- 5 

Serpentine ... 2-50 

Quartz <1 <1 1-3 1-3 <1 

Chlorite 2-4 5-7 2-4 

Dolomite 0-3 1-3 0-2 2-4 1-3 

Calcite 1-2 

Magnesite ... 0-5 1-3 0- 5 

Source: Grexa (24). 

Talc is used primarily in ceramics, cosmetics, paint, 
paper, plastics, roofing, and rubber. Minor amounts of 
talc are also used for sculpturing block, foundry facings, 
and rice polishing, and as filler in asphalt, caulking, floor 
tile, insecticides, joint compounds, refractories, and stucco. 

Ceramic-grade talc is used to produce wall tile, electric- 
al ceramics, sanitaryware, stoneware, opaque glasses, vitre- 
ous china, catalytic converters, and other whiteware. Wall 
tile, electrical ceramics, sanitaryware, and stoneware are 
the most common uses of ceramic-grade talc. Although 
talc composes less than 5% by weight of most ceramics, 
talc content may be 40% to 50% for catalytic converters 
and may approach 70% for ceramic insulators and ceramic 
tiles (5). 

Talc is usually mixed with clay, quartz, and fluxes in the 
final product. Talc serves as an inexpensive source of 
magnesium oxide, acts as a flux to lower firing tempera- 
tures, improves the thermal shock resistance of the final 
product, permits fast firing techniques, has low-moisture 
expansion characteristics, and is amenable to dry-pressing 
techniques. In general, ceramic talc must be less than 325 
mesh, have low iron and manganese contents, have low 
aluminum oxide and calcium oxide contents if used in elec- 
trical insulators and catalytic converters, and not discolor 
the product on firing (table 2) (3, 5, 11). 

Table 2.-Selected properties of ceramic-grade talc 

Property Specification 

MgO content 30.0% minimum. 

SiO, content 60.0% minimum. 

Al 2 d 3 content 4.0% maximum. 

CaO content 1.0% maximum. 

Fe 2 3 content 1.5% maximum. 

Alkali content 0.4% maximum. 

Loss on ignition 6.0% maximum. 

Acid-soluble lime content 1.0% maximum. 

Particle size 95.0% less than 325 mesh; 

99.0% less than 200 mesh. 

Source: Bentzen (14). 

Cosmetic uses for talc encompass all varieties of face 
powders and body dusting powders. Cosmetic-grade talcs 
also include talc used in pharmaceutical products and 
medicinal tablets, creams, and soaps (14). Over 50% of 



most cosmetics is talc, the remainder being a combination 
of oxides, stearates, perfumes, and starch. Talc is used in 
cosmetics to impart softness and lubricity, improve the 
hiding power of the product, and aid in retaining added 
perfumes (5, 15). Cosmetic talcs (and talcs used as fillers 
in pharmaceutical products) must meet strict standards to 
assure the quality of the product. The major requirements 
are that 98% of the particles should be less than 200 mesh 
and that the talc should contain no gritty material, contain 
less than 6% acid-soluble minerals and no amphiboles, and 
have a consistent color and mineralogical composition 
(table 3) (3, 5). 

Table 3.-Selected properties of cosmetic-grade talc 

Property Specification 

Color As specified by buyer, with no 

color change on heating. 

Talc identification Positive using infrared spectro- 

photometry or x-ray diffrac- 
tometry. 

Water-soluble substances 0.1% maximum. 

Acid-soluble substances 6.0% maximum. 

Particle size 100% less than 100 mesh; 

98% less than 200 mesh. 

Loss on ignition 6.0% maximum. 

Arsenic content 3 ppm maximum. 

Lead content 20 ppm maximum. 

Fibrous amphibole content .... None detected. 

Source: Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association Inc., 

Washington, DC. 

The insecticides category includes fertilizers, insecti- 
cides, herbicides, and fungicides. Talc serves principally as 
a carrier to distribute the fertilizer, insecticide, herbicide, 
or fungicide, and to dilute the chemical to prevent damage 
from concentrated dosages (5, 16). Talc also serves as an 
anticaking agent for dry compounds. Talc is useful be- 
cause it is absorbent, disperses in liquids, does not react 
with insecticides, will not clog equipment when finely 
ground, and will not abrade nozzles (3, 5, 16). Fuller's 
earth is the leading competitor with talc, followed by ka- 
olin, bentonite, diatomite, perlite, sepiolite, and attapulgite 
(5, 16). 

The paint category covers all varieties of paints: water- 
based, oil-based, synthetic resin paints, and lacquers. In 
the United States, talc is used primarily in topcoats, indus- 
trial paint, and industrial primers (17). Particularly when 
it contains prismatic tremolite, talc is an excellent rein- 
forcer and greatly reduces cracking in the dry paint film 
(3, 5, 11). Talc also reduces settling and separation of the 
paint components, helps to smooth ridges left during brush 
applications, is an inexpensive extender for more expensive 
white pigments, and absorbs oil better than most minerals 
(3, 5, 11, 14). Its softness minimizes abrasion of high- 
speed paint mixers, and it disperses well in both oil- and 
water-based paint (5, 11). Talc is selected for use in paints 
based on chemical composition, oil absorption, particle 
size, particle shape, particle size distribution, refractive 
index, and water-soluble matter content (table 4). Talc 
competes with calcium carbonate, kaolin, barite, and mica 
as a filler and extender in paint (5, 18). 



Table 4.-Selected properties of paint-grade talc 

Property Specification 

Calcium oxide content 10% maximum. 

Magnesium and calcium 

silicate content 88% minimum. 

Loss on ignition 7% maximum. 

Moisture and other volatiles 

content 1% maximum. 

Water-soluble matter content . . 1% maximum. 

Particle size 2% maximum greater than 325 

mesh. 

Oil absorption Negotiated. 

Color Do. 

Consistency Do. 

Fineness Do 

Source: ASTM (25). 

Talc is used in a variety of paper products, including 
wrapping paper, writing paper, packaging paper, and 
paperboard products (19). It is used principally for pitch 
control; the pitch adheres to the surface of the talc and is 
dispersed throughout the paper rather than agglomerating 
to form spots in the paper products. Talc also fills the 
interstices between the cellulose fibers, reduces the trans- 
parency of the paper, increases the brightness of the paper, 
improves ink reception, increases paper density, and re- 
duces the demand for more expensive paper pulp (3, 5, 
11, 19). Printing and writing papers can contain up to 
30% filler; paperboard products, 10%; and newsprint, 8% 
(5). Talc is selected as a filler because of its high white- 
ness, its nonabrasive nature, its chemical inertness, and its 
availability in ultrafine particle size (3, 5, 11). Competing 
minerals as paper fdlers include calcium carbonate, kaolin, 
and titanium dioxide (5, 19). 

The plastics category includes polypropylene, nylon, 
polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyester 
(5, 9). Talc is used primarily as a filler in polypropylene 
(5, 9, 20-22). It can compose up to 50% by weight of the 
components in plastics (5, 9). As a bulk filler, it reduces 
the amount of resin required in the product and thus re- 
duces costs. Talc also imparts desired physical, electrical, 
and processing properties to the plastic. Talc can also be 
used as a dusting agent to reduce friction between plastic- 
coated electrical wires in electric cables and cords. 
Chemical and heat resistance, impact strength, dimensional 
stability, thermal conductivity, tensile strength, creep re- 
sistance, and electrical conductivity can be improved using 
talc as a plastics filler (3, 5, 9, 11, 20-22). Talc competes 
with carbonates, clays, feldspar, mica, silica, and wollaston- 
ite as a mineral fdler (5). 



Talc is one of the few minerals used by the plastics 
industry as a reinforcer. Its platy nature provides rigidity 
to the composite (9, 20). Plastics with talc fillers exhibit 
higher stiffness and creep resistance at ambient and ele- 
vated temperatures than do plastics with mineral fillers 
such as calcium carbonate. For example, a polypropylene 
with a 40% loading of talc filler has a stiffness 3 times 
that of polypropylene with no filler and 1.5 times that of 
polypropylene with a 40% loading of calcium carbonate 
(20). Talcs selected as fillers are chosen according to 
color, particle size and shape, resin absorption, moisture 
content, and iron content (5, 9, 11). Platy talc offers better 
heat resistance and is softer than acicular talcs. Acicular 
talcs offer better reinforcement (5). 

Talc is used in the manufacture of roofing products as 
a filler and a dusting agent. It is added to asphalt and 
bitumen to increase their viscosities, melting points, hard- 
ness, and resistance to stress and weathering (3, 5). Talc 
also is used to dust the surfaces of asphalt roofing products 
to prevent sticking during manufacture and storage. Talc 
used by the roofing industry generally is ground to minus 
80 mesh, and although it is usually low grade, it must have 
high absorbency (5, 11). 

Talc is used by the rubber industry in the production of 
tires, tubing, sheets, valves, flooring products, backing for 
textiles, and electric cable insulation (5). Talc is used as 
a dusting agent to prevent sticking of the rubber to the 
mold, to reduce the amount of expensive resins used to 
produce rubber products, to increase the stiffness of un- 
cured compounds, and to reinforce rubber products (3, 5, 
11). The talc should be less than 45 /im in size and con- 
tain no abrasive minerals that could cause wear of the 
processing equipment. Talc should be white when used as 
a filler in latex fabric backings, but color is not critical for 
most other uses (11). Talc competes with calcium carbon- 
ate, kaolin, and silica. Talc comprised less than 10% of 
the rubber filler market in 1983 (5). 

Specifications for the minor uses vary widely. For 
sculpturing, the talc block should be free of cracks and 
other imperfections that could reduce its integrity. The 
most desirable color for sculpturing block is apple green, 
although dark green talc blocks are also used. For use in 
asphalt, joint compounds, and stucco, the talc should be 
ground relatively fine. Color would be more important for 
stucco than for asphalt fillers and joint compounds. 



PRICES 



Prices for processed talc range from $50 to $250 per 
ton. Talcs used as fillers for roofing, rubber, insecticides, 
and some plastics are the least expensive. Prices for these 
materials range from $50 to $100 per ton. Talcs for end 
uses such as cosmetics, some plastics, and paints command 



the highest prices (approximately $175 to $250 per ton). 
Prices, quoted by the Engineering and Mining Journal, 
December 1987, per short ton of domestic ground talc, in 
carload lots, f.o.b. mine or mill including containers, 
follow: 



New Jersey: 

Mineral pulp, bags extra $18.50-$20.50 

Vermont: 

98% through 325 mesh, bulk 70.00 

99.99% through 325 mesh, bags: 

Dry processed 147.00 

Water beneficiated 213.00-228.00 

New York: 

96% through 200 mesh 67.00- 75.00 

98% to 99.25% through 325 mesh . 83.00-100.00 
100% through 325 mesh, 
fluid-energy ground 165.00 

California: 

Standard 130.00 

Fractionated 37.00- 71.00 

Micronized 150.00-220.00 

Cosmetic steatite 44.00- 65.00 

Georgia: 

98% through 200 mesh 50.00 

99% through 325 mesh 60.00 

100% through 325 mesh, 
fluid-energy ground 100.00 



Approximate equivalents, in dollars per short ton, of 
price ranges quoted in Industrial Minerals (London), 
December 1987, for talc, c.i.f. main European ports, 
follow: 

Norwegian: 

Ground (ex store) $162-$180 

Micronized (ex store) 207- 288 

French, fine-ground 216- 342 

Italian, cosmetic-grade 315 

Chinese, normal (ex store): 

UK 200 mesh 254 

UK 325 mesh 265 

New York, paint, minimum 20-st lot . 175 

Talc prices often are reduced from quoted prices 
because of the competitive nature of the talc industry. The 
average sales price of talc, based on a 1983 constant dollar, 
increased from $69.82 per ton in 1963 to $93.55 per ton in 
1983 (3). 



SUPPLY AND DEMAND 



In 1987, talc was produced by 22 companies operating 
38 mines in 10 States. The largest of these companies 
were Cyprus Industrial Minerals, Dai-Briar (Texas Talc), 
Gouverneur Talc, Pfizer, Vermont Talc, and Windsor 
Minerals. These companies, operating mines in Alabama, 
California, Montana, New York, Texas, and Vermont, 
produced approximately 79% of the talc ore mined in the 
Unites States. The remainder was produced from mines 
in Arkansas, Georgia, Oregon, and Virginia (4). 

Historically, talc production in the United States has 
exceeded demand, and there has been minimal depen- 
dence on imported talc. In 1977-87, production ranged 
from 980,000 to 1.27 million st/yr, and demand ranged 
from 847,000 to 970,000 st/yr. U.S. exports ranged from 
234,000 to 322,000 st/yr during this period. Neither 
production nor demand nor exports have shown the steady 
growth observed prior to 1973. Imports, however, have 
steadily risen from 22,000 to 53,000 st/yr between 1977 and 
1987 (table 5). 

Table 5.-Salient talc statistics, thousand short tons 



Year 


Production 


Exports 


Imports 


Consumption 


1977 


1,099 


322 


22 


943 


1978 


1,268 


267 


19 


917 


1979 


1,268 


316 


22 


960 


1980 


1,127 


275 


21 


903 


1981 


1,236 


311 


27 


982 


1982 


1,049 


232 


27 


847 


1983 


980 


218 


44 


901 


1984 


1,042 


256 


45 


970 


1985 


1,188 


237 


47 


921 


1986 


1,219 


234 


52 


983 


1987 


1,258 


318 


53 


938 


Source: 


U.S. Bureau of Mines (26). 







The largest domestic demand for talc is by the 
ceramics, paint, paper, and roofing industries, which 
accounted for 74% of the talc consumed in 1987. Over the 
past 10 yr, consumption of talc by the paper and roofing 
industries has increased; consumption by the ceramics 
industry, the major user, has fluctuated around 310,000 st; 
and consumption by the cosmetics, insecticides, paint, 
plastics, refractories, and rubber industries has decreased 
(table 6). Percentages for 1977 and 1987 follow: 

1977 1987 

Ceramics 32 33 

Cosmetics 8 6 

Insecticides 2 <1 

Paint 22 15 

Paper 7 14 

Plastics 13 8 

Refractories 1 <1 

Roofing 3 12 

Rubber 6 2 

Other 6 9 

Internationally, 39 other countries also mined talc. 
Production of talc and pyrophyllite was estimated to be 7.0 
million st in 1987. The major talc-producing countries 
were Brazil, China, Finland, France, India, the Republic of 
Korea, the United States, and the U.S.S.R. (4). Canada, 
India, the Republic of Korea, and the United States had 
the greatest increase in production over the past 5 yr 
(table 7). 

End use patterns for other nations differed from those 
in the United States. The major reasons for end use 



Table 6.-End uses for ground talc in the United States, thousand short tons 



Year 


Ceramics 


Cosmetics 


Insecticides 


Paint 


Paper 


Plastics 


Refractories 


Roofing 


Rubber 


Other 


Total 


1977 


300 


75 


23 


211 


69 


120 


13 


25 


52 


55 


943 


1978 


257 


69 


13 


192 


87 


147 


6 


18 


36 


92 


917 


1979 


260 


74 


13 


237 


105 


112 


6 


19 


39 


95 


960 


1980 


282 


59 


11 


197 


102 


110 


2 


20 


37 


83 


903 


1981 


375 


75 


13 


206 


88 


111 


2 


26 


36 


50 


982 


1982 


292 


45 


7 


170 


79 


54 


2 


94 


21 


83 


847 


1983 


319 


50 


5 


166 


81 


57 


2 


98 


28 


95 


901 


1984 


358 


44 


8 


189 


100 


67 


4 


86 


29 


85 


970 


1985 


296 


46 


7 


144 


125 


70 


5 


100 


27 


101 


921 


1986 


343 


46 


6 


168 


127 


69 


3 


106 


25 


90 


983 


1987 


313 


60 


.5 


138 


127 


79 


2 


112 


19 


88 


938 



Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines (26). 



Table 7.-Talc and pyrophyllite: World production, by country, 1 short tons 

Country 2 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 

Argentina (talc, steatite, pyrophyllite) 32,729 30,629 23,366 27,900 27,900 

Australia (talc, chlorite, steatite, pyrophyllite) 194,644 205,867 153,652 207,287 193,000 

Austria (unground talc) 134,623 147,722 144,903 146,959 143,000 

Brazil (talc and pyrophyllite) 3 437,025 455,637 426,647 463,742 468,500 

Burma 141 100 141 62 66 

Canada (shipments) (talc, pyrophyllite, soapstone) .... 106,924 138,891 139,993 135,584 155,000 

Chile 702 465 1,432 2,488 2,200 

China 1,050,000 1,050,000 1,100,000 1,100,000 1,100,000 

Columbia 7,318 7,479 9,492 20,393 20,400 

Egypt 4,981 13,463 8,488 9,700 9,900 

Finland 351,009 360,976 351,138 313,253 364,000 

France (ground talc) 315,812 322,315 342,705 347,189 346,000 

Germany, Federal Republic of (marketable) 15,773 19,030 22,835 24,123 23,100 

Greece (steatite) 2,388 1,887 1 ,901 2,000 2,050 

Hungary 18,700 19,300 18,700 17,700 16,500 

India (pyrophyllite and steatite) 389,162 460,473 422,111 436,520 457,500 

Italy (talc and steatite) 175,239 157,329 142,875 166,676 166,400 

Japan 4 1,615,791 1,652,303 1,580,978 1,470,441 1,380,000 

Korea, North 185,000 185,000 185,000 185,000 185,000 

Korea, Republic of (talc and pyrophyllite) 696,810 935,475 1,027,880 879,291 880,000 

Mexico 12,161 9,81 1 32,959 22,000 27,500 

Nepal 5 16,825 8,372 6,630 9,678 9,900 

Norway 1 10,000 6 124,561 1 10,000 1 10,000 1 10,000 

Pakistan (pyrophyllite) 17,588 17,161 22,248 25,376 27,500 

Paraguay 132 165 132 132 132 

Peru (talc and pyrophyllite) 5,767 10,183 551 1,200 1,100 

Philippines - 968 1,022 380 1,100 1,100 

Portugal 6,018 6,838 3,976 4,565 4,400 

Romania 66,000 72,000 72,000 72,000 72,000 

South Africa, Republic of 7 12,337 15,886 15,925 14,602 14,600 

Spain (steatite) 76,574 79,628 97,859 81,476 88,000 

Sweden 23,210 19,712 15,432 2,205 2,200 

Taiwan 29,821 20,591 19,357 23,757 22,000 

Thailand (talc and pyrophyllite) 22,209 31,393 47,926 43,046 44,000 

U.S.S.R 560,000 570,000 570,000 570,000 580,000 

United Kingdom 17,600 21,000 22,046 13,230 13,200 

United States (talc and pyrophyllite) 1,066,400 1,127,421 1,268,750 1,302,179 6 1 ,301 ,440 

Uruguay 755 1,828 1,700 1,700 1,700 

Zambia 1 ,447 405 10,504 293 290 

Zimbabwe 607 314 482 879 880 

Total 7,781,190 8,302,632 8,423,094 8.255.726 8.262,458 

'Table includes data available through May 27, 1988. 

2 ln addition to the countries listed, Czechoslovakia produces talc, but available information is inadequate to make reliable estimates of 
output levels. 

Total of beneficiated and salable direct shipping production of talc and pyrophyllite. 

includes talc, pyrophyllite, and pyrophyllite clay. 

5 Data based on Nepalese fiscal year beginning mid-July of year stated. 

6 Reported figure. 

includes talc and wonderstone. 
Source: Virta(4). 



variations are availability of appropriate grades of talc, 
transportation costs, size of the markets, and availability of 
competing minerals. For example, the paper industry is 
the largest consumer of talc in Canada, China, and Europe 
(table 8) (5), owing to both the availability of talc and 
extensive research on its use as paper fillers (5, 19). 

There is a considerable amount of international trade 
despite the widespread occurrence of talc and the high cost 
of transportation relative to the product value. Interna- 
tional trade was geographically restricted in most cases. 
The United States supplied talc to the North American 
continent, the major European producers restricted their 
trade to the European continent, and China and Australia 
exported talc to Japan. The few exceptions were Canadian 
exports to Denmark, Australian exports to Belgium-Lux- 
embourg and the United Kingdom, and U.S. exports to 
Japan. In general, transoceanic shipments were restricted 
to small tonnages (23). 

China and the United States were the major talc-export- 
ing countries, accounting for almost 940,000 st in trade. 

Table 8.-Consumption of talc by end use, percent 

Canada China Europe United 

(1984) (1984) (1986) States 

(1987) 

Ceramics 6 2 6 33 

Cosmetics .... 3 1 3 6 

Insecticides ... (') (*) 3 ( 2 ) 

Paint 11 2 11 15 

Paper 34 60 52 14 

Plastics (') (*) 7 8 

Refractories ... ( ! ) ( x ) ( l ) ( 2 ) 

Roofing 25 ( 3 ) 7 12 

Rubber 6 1 ( x ) 2 

Other 15 34 11 9_ 

Total 100 100 100 100 

'included under "Other" category. 
2 Less than 0.5%. 

included under "Paint" category. 
Sources: Virta (4); Roskills (5). 



Other major exporting countries were Australia, Austria, 
Finland, France, Italy, Norway, and the Republic of Korea. 
These countries each exported 40,000 to 185,000 st of talc 
in 1986 (table 9). The Federal Republic of Germany, 
Japan, Mexico, Belgium-Luxembourg, and the United 
Kingdom were the major importing countries in 1986 
(table 10) (23). 

Table 9.-Major talc-exporting countries, 1986 

Major exporting Quantity, Major destinations 

countries st and quantity, st 

Australia 202,080 Japan - 132,584. 

Netherlands - 16,808. 

Republic of Korea - 17,351. 
Austria 124,933 Italy - 16,926. 

Switzerland - 10,841. 

West Germany - 62,466. 
China 588,102 Hong Kong - 35,454. 

Japan - 502,862. 

Pakistan - 14,830. 
Finland 53,209 Netherlands - 9,371. 

Sweden - 13,272. 

United Kingdom - 8,992. 
France 109,695 Belgium-Luxembourg -13,890. 

Netherlands - 16,279. 

West Germany - 34,137. 
Italy 47,469 East Germany - 15,318. 

Mexico - 350. 

United Kingdom - 8,203. 
Korea, Republic of . . 46,820 Japan - 15,648. 

Taiwan - 6,430. 

Thailand- 11,538. 
Netherlands 9,716 Belgium-Luxembourg - 2,354. 

Italy- 1,286. 

West Germany - 4,854. 
Norway 47,058 Netherlands - 10,055. 

United Kingdom - 11,556. 

West Germany - 8,722. 
Sweden 8,975 Denmark - 1 ,276. 

Netherlands - 5,053. 

Norway - 1 ,230. 
United States 350,436 Belgium-Luxembourg -33,060. 

(1987 data). Canada - 67,222. 

Mexico - 164,198. 

Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines (23). 



10 



Table 10.-Major talc-importing countries, 1986 



Major importing 


Quantity, 


Major sources 


Major importing 


Quantity, 


Major sources 


countries 


St 


and quantity, st 


countries 


st 


and quantity, st 


Belgium-Luxembourg 


75,615 


France - 13,915. 
Netherlands - 13,797. 
Spain - 22,403. 


Mexico (1984 data) . . 


113,125 


Italy - 716. 

Republic of Korea - 221 . 

United States- 111,821. 


Canada 


43,516 


France - 325. 

United Kingdom - 149. 

United States - 42,896. 


Netherlands 


51,695 


Austria - 6,641 . 
France - 13,442. 
West Germany - 5,193. 


France 


19,758 


Austria - 3,734. 
Belgium-Luxembourg - 4,983. 
Italy - 5,556. 


Poland 


25,516 


China - 2,229. 
Czechoslovakia - 7,224. 
North of Korea- 10,378. 


Germany, Federal 


163,424 


Austria - 63,716. 


Sweden 


30,044 


Belgium-Luxembourg - 4,633. 


Republic of. 




France - 35,998. 
Italy - 13,805. 






Finland - 13,719. 
Norway - 7,502. 


Italy 


32,469 


Austria- 17,132. 
France - 5,669. 
Spain - 3,562. 




16,444 


Austria- 11,110. 
France - 1,319. 
Italy - 2,345. 




655,980 


Australia- 117,189. 
China - 486,727. 


Thailand 


24,373 


China - 13,574. 
Republic of Korea - 9,918. 






North Korea - 15,850. 


United Kingdom 


75,386 


Belgium-Luxembourg - 1 1 ,915. 


Korea, Republic of . . 


46,202 


Australia - 17,329. 
Hong Kong- 11,038. 
United States - 3,869. 






France - 13,800. 
Norway - 12,898. 



Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines (23). 



OUTLOOK 



In recent years, U.S. demand for talc has slowed 
considerably. The average annual growth in demand was 
3.1% between 1967 and 1977. Between 1977 and 1987, the 
average annual growth in demand was slightly negative. 
Demand, however, averaged approximately 930,000 st/yr 
for this period. Relative increases and decreases in 
demand have been the result of minor market fluctuations 
rather than long-term trends. Demand for talc is expected 
to continue to fluctuate around 930,000 st/yr in the near 
future. 

The major U.S. demand for talc will continue to be by 
the ceramics industry, which will account for 30% to 35% 
of the total demand. Demand by the paint industry, if it 



continues to follow its 10-yr downward trend, will drop 
below that of the paper industry in several years. The use 
of talc by the paper industry should continue to increase as 
paper consumption grows. Demand by the plastics 
industry should grow slightly, following a large decline in 
the early 1980's. 

Demand for roofing-grade talc has increased over the 
past 10 years; however, this growth is not expected to 
continue at its current pace. Demand for cosmetic-grade 
talc will remain relatively constant, and demand by the 
insecticide, refractory, and rubber industries is likely to 
continue to decline in the near future. 



11 



REFERENCES 



1. Deer, W., R Howie, and J. Zussman. An Introduction to the 
Rock-Forming Minerals. Longman Group, 1966, 528 pp. 

2. Kuzvart, M. Industrial Minerals and Rocks. Elsevier, 1984, 
454 pp. 

3. Clifton, R. A. Talc and Pyrophyllite. Ch. in Mineral Facts and 
Problems, 1985 Edition. BuMines B 675, 1985, pp 799-810. 

4. Virta, R. L. Talc and Pyrophyllite. BuMines Minerals Yearbook 
1987, v. 1, 7 pp. (preprint). 

5. Roskills Information Services Ltd. (London). The Economics of 
Talc and Pyrophyllite. 5th ed., 1987, 250 pp. 

6. Dickson, T. North American Talc. Ind. Miner. No. 183, Dec. 
1982, pp. 75-78. 

7. Industrial Minerals (London). Cyprus Gets Mount Seabrook 
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8. Roskills Information Services Ltd. (London). The Economics of 
Talc and Pyrophyllite. 4th ed., 1984, 236 pp. 

9. Radosta, J. A., and N. C. Trivedi. Talc. Ch. in Handbook of 
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Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1978, pp. 160-171. 

10. Tanner, A. O. Mining and Quarrying Trends in the Metals and 
Industrial Minerals Industries. BuMines Minerals Yearbook 1986, v. 1, 
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11. Roe, L. A., and R H. Olson. Talc. Ch. in Industrial Minerals 
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pp. 1275-1301. 

12. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Anatomy of a Mine From 
Prospect to Production. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-35, revised July 1983, 
69 pp. 

13. Industrial Minerals (London). French Talc. No. 218, Nov. 1985, 
p. 89. 

14. Bentzen III, E. H. Talc or Soapstone? AIME preprint 73-H-8, 
1973, 17 pp. 

15. Robbins, J. UK Cosmetics Make-Up Minerals. Ind. Miner. 
(London), No. 216, Sept. 1985, pp. 75-79. 



16. Key, W. W. Mineral Fillers for the California Pesticide Industry. 
BuMines IC 8260, 1965, 39 pp. 

17. Harris, T S., and M. Whyte. Extender and Filler Minerals in 
Europe and North America - Opportunities in Contrasting Markets. 
Paper in Proceedings of Seventh "Industrial Minerals" International 
Congress (Monte Carlo, Monaco, Apr. 1-4, 1986). Met. Bull. (London), 
1986, pp. 23-34. 

18. Toon, S. Minerals for Paint. Ind. Miner. (London), No. 219, 
Dec. 1985, pp. 49-75. 

19. Clark, D. A. Minerals in Paper - the Quiet Revolution. Paper 
in Proceedings of Seventh "Industrial Minerals" International Congress 
(Monte Carlo, Monaco, Apr. 1-4, 1986). Met. Bull. (London), 1986, 
pp. 37-46. 

20. Clifton, R. Mineral Fillers Used in the Plastic Industry. Soc. 
Min. Eng. AIME preprint 85-62, 1985, 36 pp. 

21. Haskin, R. W., and C. Eckert. Minerals in Plastics - Meeting the 
Challenge of the Future. Ind. Miner. (London), No. 234, Mar. 1987, 
pp. 54-59. 

22. Dickson, T U.S. Plastics - a Growing Mineral Market. Ind. 
Miner. (London), No. 233, Feb. 1987, pp. 50-57. 

23. U.S. Bureau of Mines. Minerals Yearbook 1986, v. 3, 1135 pp. 

24. Grexa, R W., and C. J. Parmentier. Cosmetic Talc Properties 
and Specifications. Pres. at Soc. Cosmetic Chemists, New York, Dec. 2, 
1977, 18 pp; available from R. W. Grexa, Cyprus Industrial Minerals 
Co., Engelwood, CO. 

25. American Society for Testing and Materials. Standard 
Specifications for Magnesium Silicate Pigment (Talc). D605-82 in 1984 
Annual Book of ASTM Standards: Section 6, Paints, Related Coatings, 
and Aromatics. Philadelphia, PA, 1984, pp. 164-165. 

26. U.S. Bureau of Mines. Minerals Yearbooks 1977-87. Chapter on 
Talc and Pyrophyllite. 



U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 611-012/00.077 



INT.BU.OF MINES,PGH.,PA 28912 



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